We often think of stress just as the immediate conditions in our lives that impact us, without paying proper attention to environmental stressors than can create low-grade, constant stress. Stress from the environment is fueled through watching the news, talking with people, and otherwise picking up and sensing it in the environment.

A Different Kind of Stress that Affects Us

Common Stressors in the 21st Century include:

Wars
Working so many hours
More work and less people time
Fear of job loss
Terrorism and it¹s threat
Layoffs
Traffic
Commuting
Rushing all the time
Over-scheduling
Periods of economic downturn
Change
Transitioning from high school to college
Leaving college for the outside world
Retirement planning
Being around people who are different than you
Uncertainty about the future

Some people experience physical and emotional signs of stress as a result of these types of environmental stressors, even if their personal life situation has relatively low levels of stress.

We can’t always control our environment, but we can control our reaction to it. If environmental stressors influence you (they do most of us) practice the Control, Change, or Let Go process. Ask yourself these questions: Can I control it? Can I change it? If not, how can I let it go?

Check Your Vital Stress Stats

Keep a check on your stress levels but keeping a stress record. Rate your stress levels on a scale of 1-10 (1 being not stressed at all, 10 being stressed to the point of being dysfunctional or severely limited in terms of your activities). Jot down in a bulleted form your emotions, behaviors, etc., and your stress rank.

My Vital Stress Stats

Date:
Stress Rank:
How I Feel:
What’s Going On:

This doesn¹t need to be a time intensive activity. Spend literally one minute each day writing on a small notepad you keep next to your bed, at your desk, etc. After a few weeks, look back and try to identify patterns in your stress (computer crashes, certain corporate events, interactions with certain individuals). Look for ways to eliminate stress by removing these stressors, and if that’s not possible, look for opportunities to build in stress-releasers (exercise, baths, sleep-ins, etc.)

The point is to focus on your emotions and yourself for a few minutes each day. This type of self-reflective tool is a powerful way to fight off stress by helping you to feel grounded and to restore calm in your daily life.

Once you¹ve done this for a month or so, it can become a quick mental exercise, and you can forego the pen and paper altogether. Like a vital stats check on your mental health, you can monitor your stress levels automatically and determine when you need a dose of a stress-relieving activity.